Oaebiage



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. STERN & N. LEFKOWITZ.

- FOLDING CARRIAGE.

No 598,964. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets'Sheet 2.

A. STERN & N. LEPKOWITZ.

FOLDING CARRIAGE.

No. 598,964. I I Patented Feb. 15,1898.

THE Nunms Pnzns cn, PNDYO-L THO. WASHINGTON. n. c.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet s.

A. STERN & N. LEPKOWITZ. FOLDING CARRIAGE.

N0n 598,964. Patented Feb. 15, 1898. V fi 1 9.10. fi

ju/enzor s:

I I I M7 UNITED STATES P TENT" ()FFICE.

ADOLF STERN AND NATHAN LEFKOWITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING'CARRIAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,964, dated February15, 1898.

Application filed May 1,1897. Serial N5. 634,756. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, ADOLF STERN NATHANLEFKOWi'rZ, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Oarriages; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable'others skilled in the art to which it appert'ains tomake and use the same. Y

Our invention relates to improvements in vehicles, and particularly toimprovements in a folding baby-carriage.

The main object of theinvention is to produce a childs carriage whichmay be folded into a small compass, whereby it may be stored when not inuse without requiring much space, thereby making it of particularadvantage for residents in apartment houses and the like wherecommodious quarters are lacking.

The invention consists in a device arranged to accomplish the aboveobject and which will first be described in connection with theaccompanying drawings and then pointed out in the claims. I

In the drawings, Figure 1,is a longitudinal sectional view of a-carriageembodying our invention in its extended position; Fig. 2, a plan. of thesame with the bottom partly broken away; Figs. 3,4, and 5, detail viewsillustrating the axle; Fig. 6, a plan view showing the wheels foldedover; Fig. 7, a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 8, a similar viewshowing the parts partly folded; Fig. 9, a transverse section on theline 9 9, Fig. 6; Fig. 10, a longitudinalsection, on an enlarged scale,of the carriage completely folded; Fig; 11, a perspective view showingthe appearance of the whole device when folded, and

Figs. 12 and 13 detail views referred to hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, A and A are are hinged flaps A which arecapable of being folded either inward, as shown in Fig. 8, or outward,asshown in Fig. 1, being locked and shown in Fig. 2.

to the sidepanels A when in the former position by means of any suitablefastening device or devices -as, for instance, the hooks the flaps Athese trays thus coming together to form a case or box, the two traysbeing held together by any desirable fastening de'- vice, such as thelook a, Fig. 11.

Each panel B B is provided at its outer end and on each-side with slots1), which slots are also extended into the end strips B B", as Throughthese slots pass bolts 0, projecting fromfolding springs 0-, thesesprings being formed of four pieces 0' c 0 0' hinged together at 0 asbest shown in' Fig. 13, and each capable of being extended to form thethree sides of a rectangle, being retained in the extended position by asuitable extension device, such as a rod'C, passed through the upper andlower arms 0 c and provided with spring-catches c", which 0, each rodalso having a head 0 to limit its downward movement.

prevent the accidental withdrawal of the rod To the inward-extendingends of the lower ortions o of each air of s rin s an axle P a:

and wheels are attached, the axles being each I constructed of anoutershell and an inner flexible or jointed axle proper.' The said .flexibleor jointed axle proper is made in two parts, each having one inflexibleend'extend-' ing beyond the shell and provided with a thimble-skein onwhich the wheel is mounted,

ed as to slide longitudinally in the shell, whereby it may be drawnoutward to a certain extent in order that the wheels may be folded overwith their spokes approximately parallel to the shell. Furthermore, whenthe inner end of each part being so constructdrawn inward the parts of 1the flexible axle may be clamped or secured in such a manner that theycannot be accidentally drawn out.

The specific construction of the axle illustrated in the drawings is asfollows:

D is a tube forming an outer shell which is slotted at cl, within whichtube is located a flexible axle proper composed of two parts D, (bestshown in Figs. 3 to 5,) each consisting, preferably, of four parts d d d(:1 three of which are hinged together in any ordinary way, as shown atd while the outer joint 01 next to the wheel is provided not only with ahinge, but also with a clamp or look device, whereby the inflexibleouter end d of each axle part may be secured rigidly to the nextadjacent portion d of the axle part or may be unlocked therefrom, so asto be turned at an angle thereto. This joint, as shown in Fig. 5, isformed by providing the portion (1 at its inner end with a tongue dwhich enters a slot in the end of the portion (2 being pivoted to thesaid portion (1 by a pin (i passing through it and through the tongue.In the inner end of the tongue 01 is formed a notch or opening arrangedto receive one end of abolt'd", located in a recess in the end of theportion d yieldingly pressed outward by a spring c1 and capable of beingretracted by a finger-piece d, which projects outward through a slot inthe side of the portion d The flexible axle parts are each surrounded bya spring 61 located within the outer shell D and bearing against acollar c1 fixed on the inner end of the flexible part and provided witha bolt extending outward through the slot cl, upon which bolt is placeda nut c1 whereby the flexible axle part may be forced outward and thenclamped or clamped when drawn inward by the spring 01 Each end of theshell D is provided with a cap d, having a square opening through whichits respective axle part projects, said axle part being preferablysquare in cross-section and fitting snugly in the openingin order thatthe axle part will be held against any tendency to rotate which might becaused by friction between the wheef and its thimble-skein.

The wheels E are of any desired construction and held on thethimble-skeins in the usual manner.

In packing the carriage the rods 0 are withdrawn by pressing the springs0 against the respective rods and pulling the rods upward. The parts 0 cof the springs are then pressed toward the center of the vehicle,thereby permitting the axles to come up close against the under side ofthe panels B B, the bolts 0 being loosened and pushed toward the centerof the carriage, whereby the axles are brought beneath the middle ofsaid panels. The nuts (Z are then loosened and forced outward, the twoflexible or jointed axle parts being thereby extended as far as theslots cl will permit, whereupon the nuts d are tight ened to prevent thesprings from forcing the flexible axle parts inward again. The bolts inthe joint (1 are withdrawn and the thimbleskeins turned at an angle tothe shell D, after which the flexible axle parts may be bent over so asto bring the wheels flat on top of the panels B B, so that when thebottom is folded up into the case formed by the two dashboards and theirattached parts said wheels will be next to the said dashboards, whilethe axle-shells D will be in the space between the two panels B B.

The axles are held at a predetermined distance apart by means of afolding or telescopic reach, which is preferably constructed of twoparts D each provided atone end with a collarencircling the center ofits respective axleshell D, while at the inner ends each part D isprovided with a loop encircling the main portion of the opposite part DBy this construct-ion the two parts of the reach may be slid togetherwhen the carriage is being collapsed, and in order to permit the reach,when thus closed or telescoped, to be folded with the folding of thebuggy-bottom the parts D are each jointed at d, the joints being eachmade similar to the joint at d in the flexible axle part abovedescribed, with the exception that no bolt is employed-that is to say,one of the parts of the reach has a tongue fitting into a slot in theother part, a pivot-pin serving to hold the tongue in place. In order tohold the reach in its extended position, a series of cotters or pins (1are employed. This construction will be clear from Fig. 12.

The carriage sides F are made flexible or collapsible, being either ofcloth, leather, or the like, or of a construction which will permit themto be folded for storage within the case. In Fig. 1 is shown the latterconstruction, each side F preferably consisting of two parts which meetat the center and are fastened together in any suitable way, as by thelatches f. These sides are made of a number of bars pivoted together inthe form of a lazytongs and are provided with hooks f, which engagerings f secured to the inside of the side panels A By this constructionthe sides may be unhooked from the dashboards and unlocked from eachother and then collapsed and packed into the spaces between the panels BB and the dashboards A A.

The seat for the carriage comprises two parts G G, hinged together, soas to fold toward each other when not in use, each part being suitablyvupholstered in any desired manner and preferably provided with springsto give elasticity to the cushions. The bottom G of the seat is providedwith short legs g, which serve to raisethe said seat a short distanceabove the carriage-bottom. In Fig. 1 we have shown two of such seats,though, as is obvious, only one may be employed.

A folding parasol H may also be provided, in which case the dashboardsare supplied with theusual parasol-holding devices or sockets h,

To the outer face of each dashboard is secured a handle I, jointed at2', so that it may be turned down at an angle to the back of thedashboard, whereby the carriage may be pushed from either end, and atthe same time the handles may be turned up vertically to permit them tobe grasped in carrying the case, as shown in Fig. 11.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y 1. In a folding vehicle, thecombination, with a bottom, of springs connected to the bottom andcapable of movement toward and from the center of said body, and meansfor holding said springs at the desired distances apart.

2. In a folding vehicle, the combination with a bottom,of collapsiblesprings connected to said bottom, and axles carried by said foldingsprings.

3. In a folding vehicle, the combination with abottom,of collapsiblespringsconnected to said bottom and capable of movement toward and fromeach other.

4:. In a folding vehicle, the combination with a folding bottom, ofaxles connected to the bottom and capableof movement toward each other,and a telescopic reach connected to both axles, each section of thereach being jointed.

5. In an axle for foldingvehicles, the combination with a shell,-of aflexible axle composed of two parts mounted in said shell and capable ofmovement longitudinally therein, and means for retaining said axle partswithin said shell.

6. In an axle for folding vehicles, the com-' bination with a shell, ofa flexible axle composed of two parts mounted in said shell and capableof movement longitudinally therein,

' a slot in the bottom, axles secured to the other ends of the springs,and a collapsible reach secured to the axles. W

9. In a folding vehicle, the combination,

with dashboards, of a collapsible bottom, collapsible springssecured'thereto, each spring comprising two parallel parts, and ahinged.

part, a removable brace through the parallelled parts, axles at the ends0fv the springs and a collapsible reach secured to the axles.

10. In a collapsible vehicle, the combination, with a bottom, of axlesconnected therewith, a collapsible reach connecting the axles,

,each section of the reach being jointed, and

pins for holding the reach in its extended position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ADOLF STERN. I NATHAN LEFKOWITZ. Witnesses:

H. B. SALISBURY, ISAAC HYMAN.

